Recipe Thread

[Miss Meow]

All those recipes look divine!

Jen, haven't forgotten the low fat stuff, but I remembered this salmon dish that is perfect for a Christmas spread or dinner party. It is beautiful.

SALMON, SPINACH AND MOZZARELLA IN PASTRY
(shamelessly stolen from Cuisine Magazine, issue 89)

1 (1.2kg/2.5lb approx) side of skinned and boned fresh salmon (or if you can’t get a whole side, get a few fillets of the same size)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
500g (just over 1lb) fresh spinach
100g (approx ¼lb) fresh mozzarella or bocconcini cheese
200g (approx ½lb) fresh ricotta cheese
pinch of ground nutmeg
2 tablespoons chopped spring onions
2 tablespoons chopped chives
2 eggs (1 for recipe, 1 beaten egg for glazing)
800g (1.75lb) puff pastry (a good quality frozen pastry is fine)


Season the salmon with salt and pepper. If you have a whole side of salmon, cut it into two pieces down the middle lengthwise. Set aside.

Wash the spinach carefully and cook in a small amount of salted water until it wilts. Refresh under cold water and drain thoroughly. Chop very finely and place in a mixing bowl.

Chop the mozzarella into tiny pieces and add to the spinach. Add the ricotta, salt and pepper, nutmeg, spring onion and chives. Mix well and add the beaten egg.

Roll out half the pastry into a rectangle about 6cm (2.5 inches) larger than the salmon pieces on all sides. Place this on a baking sheet. Spread half the spinach and cheese mixture in the centre of the pastry so it covers approximately two-thirds of the area, leaving a strip of about 6cm (2.5 inches) on all sides.

Place the salmon pieces on top of the pastry, side by side so the shape roughly equates to an oblong. Sprinkle over extra salt and pepper.

Carefully spread the remaining spinach and cheese mixture over the salmon.

Roll out the remaining pastry and place this on top. Pull the extra pastry from the base upwards and brush with the beaten egg. Seal the two pieces of pastry together with beaten egg so the salmon is completely enclosed in a neat pastry parcel.

Use any trimmings to decorate the top (long strips criss-crossed, or for Christmas press out some holly leaves and berries). Completely brush the parcel with beaten egg.

Return to the refrigerator for at least half an hour.

Bake at 200 degrees C (400F) for 15-20 minutes until the pastry is crisp and golden, and the salmon is cooked.

Serves 6 as a main meal or 12-16 as a buffet dish.

The instructions might be confusing so here is a small pic of the finished product.

[Miss Meow]

TOMATO-BASED PASTA SAUCE

This is a low fat pasta sauce which is great by itself or with any number of variations (I've listed a few at the bottom).

2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 x 800g can crushed tomatoes
2 sachets tomato paste (equivalent to 2 tablespoons)
large pinch sugar
salt
freshly ground black pepper
small handful fresh basil leaves
olive oil


Fry onions and garlic in a little olive oil until translucent.

Add canned tomatoes, tomato paste and sugar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer for at least 15 minutes, stirring regularly (if you simmer gently for longer the tastes will further develop). Add torn basil leaves about 10 minutes before serving.

Serve with cooked fresh or packaged pasta and sprinkle with parmesan if desired.

Keeps for a few days in the fridge and freezes well. This is a double batch and I usually freeze half for later. Just halve the quantities to get 4-6 servings.


Variations:

- add a can of tuna chunks towards end of cooking for a filling tuna pasta.
- add black olives and a few anchovies for a Mediterranean-style pasta (the anchovies will melt down and provide a salty depth of flavour so omit the salt)
- slice vegetables to about a ¼ inch thickness (potatoes, pumpkin, capsicum, sweet potato, carrot, red onion etc), lightly coat with olive oil and roast for 25-30 minutes. Add to pasta sauce towards end of cooking for a beautiful roasted vegetable pasta (if using capsicum, remember the skin will turn black – peel it off after roasting)
- this is a great sauce if making lasagne
- add a little more sugar while cooking and add a couple of handfuls of baby peas (frozen is fine) for a spring pasta
- add some fresh chopped chillies or some dried chillies (soaked in warm water for 10 minutes) for a chilli pasta
- add dried herbs (oregano, mixed herbs etc) for a stronger style sauce suitable for meat dishes

[DoggiesAreTheBest]

kohala, Here's a great recipe for eggplant parmesan.

Eggplant Paremsan


1 1 medium eggplant sliced
1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons milk
Dried Italian bread crumbs
Olive oil
6 ounces tomato paste
6 ounces white or red wine
Pinch dried oregano
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1/2 pound mozzarella, sliced
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese


Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Slice washed eggplant 1/2-inch thick. Dip slices into the egg mixture and then into the bread crumbs, coat well. Grease a cookie sheet with olive oil. Arrange each slice of coated eggplant in one layer on the cookie sheet and drizzle each piece with olive oil. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes. Check that the slices are golden brown, turn then and bake for another 15 minutes. They should be browned on both sides. Set aside.
In a small saucepan dilute the tomato paste with wine. A good mix is a can of paste and a can of wine. Add the oregano, salt, pepper, and crushed garlic. In a baking dish arrange browned eggplant slices in 1 layer. Spread 2 tablespoons of sauce on each slice. Layer each eggplant with a slice of mozzarella and sauce until all is used. Top with Parmesan cheese and bake for about 20 minutes. Serve hot.

Cook Time: 50 minutes

[DoggiesAreTheBest]

Flafel

2 cups dried chickpeas, soaked in water and covered over night
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
3 cloves peeled and crushed garlic
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1/4 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Oil, for deep-frying
Pita bread

Toppings:
Lettuce
Cucumbers
Tomatoes
Onions


Soak chickpeas in water overnight.
Run chickpeas through food processor. Blend in yellow onion, garlic, sesame seeds parsley, salt, cumin baking powder, coriander, black pepper, and cayenne pepper, and let stand for 1 hour.
Form into balls about 1-inch in diameter. Deep fry in oil until golden brown. This takes approximately 4 to 5 minutes. Serve in a pita bread and fill with lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, and onions.

[Cataholic]

Originally posted by DoggiesAreTheBest
kohala, Here's a great recipe for eggplant parmesan.

Eggplant Paremsan


1 1 medium eggplant sliced
1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons milk
Dried Italian bread crumbs
Olive oil
6 ounces tomato paste
6 ounces white or red wine
Pinch dried oregano
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 clove of garlic, crushed
1/2 pound mozzarella, sliced
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese


Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Slice washed eggplant 1/2-inch thick. Dip slices into the egg mixture and then into the bread crumbs, coat well. Grease a cookie sheet with olive oil. Arrange each slice of coated eggplant in one layer on the cookie sheet and drizzle each piece with olive oil. Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes. Check that the slices are golden brown, turn then and bake for another 15 minutes. They should be browned on both sides. Set aside.
In a small saucepan dilute the tomato paste with wine. A good mix is a can of paste and a can of wine. Add the oregano, salt, pepper, and crushed garlic. In a baking dish arrange browned eggplant slices in 1 layer. Spread 2 tablespoons of sauce on each slice. Layer each eggplant with a slice of mozzarella and sauce until all is used. Top with Parmesan cheese and bake for about 20 minutes. Serve hot.

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Koahla- pretty much the same, but, even easier, but maybe less healthy:

Skin the eggplant, slice less than 1/4 inch, dip in milk, italian crumbs, fry in light oil.

Then, use STORE bought Italian tomatoe sauce (the spices are already in there ). Layer as follows....light application of sauce in casserole dish, eggplant, shredded mozz cheese, light sauce, eggplant, shreaded parm cheese, eggplant, mozz cheese, sauce, etc...depending on how deep your casserole dish is. Then back 350 for min 30 minutes. About 10 minutes until done...add last layer of cheese- whichever one you didn't last use..nice double negative, huh?

Be careful that you allow enough room for the bubble over effect. Since EP is mostly water, and then the sauce you add, it always wants to go over the top. Maybe a pie sheet under neath?

Good luck, and happy eating! Use that Texas Toast and things will be mighty tasty. When are we eating???

[kingrattus]

anybody have any neat pizza ones???

[Cataholic]

Kingrattus...maybe you already know this one..but for a quick easy lower calorie pizza, I get the flat bread crust (shaped like a pizza), add light olive oil, bake it to crisp it up...then add crushed, drained pineapple and low fat mozz cheese, crushed red pepper, and pop it back into the oven for another ten minutes to melt and brown a little bit..yummy.

[Cataholic]

Jen- my chili- a page or two back, constitutes low fat....

Miss Meow's sauce recipe sounds very delish, too.

Here is a great easy salmon salad..though I like it better in the summertime, I dont know why.

Fresh salmon fillet or steaks- grilled- maybe you want to marinade it in a zesty sauce first, though I love the taste of salmon plain.

Then- go to the grocery and pass right over the lettuce section- and head straight to the DOLE pre packaged salads, and buy the spring mix (For non 'Staties'..Dole is a brand name- the salad mix is more of a specialty mix...not much iceburg lettuce- but has radish stems, fancy lettuces..I don't know all their names- but you want to use fancy lettuces- not iceburg).

Then, arrange the lettuce on the plate (do I really need to tell you this?) cool the salmon, remove the nasty skin and that brownish grey junk, and break it up loosely on the lettuce.

Sprinkly crumbled blue cheese (feta is ok, too), craisins (dried cranberries, sweetened), and sunflower seeds. Then, buy the fat free dressing made by Brianna's with raspberry or some other fruity flavoring. Again, Brianna's is a name brand. You want a liht vinerageratte (spelling is not right), and fruity stuff makes a nice complement.

With the exception of grilling the fish...you are looking at five minutes, tops. I love it on Sunday evenings...grill outside, nice bottle of wine, lovely toasted bread..oh, yeah, that part isn't low fat.

[Tanya&Fritz]

Jess, I make homemade pizza with pita bread. I broil the pita bread with olive oil. Then I add pizza sauce, mushrooms, peppers, onions, fresh garlic or anything else you want. Sometimes I put pepperoni, chicken, shrimp... Then I put the pizza blend cheese (from Loblaws) on top and bake it a bit longer.

Yum, I'm getting hungry

[Cincy'sMom]

Originally posted by sammi
Question of The Day:

Who knows what "oleo" is and remembers the little "red/orange" dot and what you did with it?? This is really giving my age away.

I know what Oleo is! (Don't remember the dot though...

I LOVE Tandoori Chicken! Thank you for the recipe!!

So many good recipes here!!!! I think i will moave them to a word document and put them ALL in my ccokbook drawer!

i never did get those Cambodian recipes posted..I will do that soon...

[koxka]

Ok. that's a special request of Randi..

It's a seasonal sweet for Toussaints ,your Halloween ( 1ts.Nov.)


PANELLETS
The mass:
1/2 kg. row ground almonds
1/2 kg. Ground sugar
150 gr. Potatoes
1 egg
A grated peel of a lemon.

Boil the potatoes for a 20 minuts or till they becomes soft.Peel them,cut in pieces,smash lightly and allow it to cool.
Mix the almonds and the sugar .
Add this mixture to the boiled potatoes.
Knead to form a firm mass .
Add the grated peel of a lemon and mix with the mass.
Make balls smaller than the size of a tennis table ball.
Stir the egg, soak the balls in there and roll
over the peanuts to make a coat.
Preheat the oven grill to 250ºC.and brown them ( golden colour)

You can substitute part of the potatoes for sweet potatoes or pumpkin if you like.
The Panellets will last for severals days if kept in an airtight container.
Enjoy!

Anna

PS:Koala & Nicole I'm working in your recipes now..

[kingrattus]

thanks for the pizza ideas, thanks people
but more are welcome
I'm a pizza lover

Poor little shrimp I like sea animals in my tanks not on my dinner plate... hehehe

The people I live with keep saying their gonna fry up my fish & have turtle soup. It gets me going every time.. hehehe

[Randi]

Anna, you're an angel! I love these Paneletts, just didn't know the name of them. Thanks for the translation! You know, I can speak a bit of spanish, but catalan is definately beyond me!

Will try and make them one of these days - you're welcome for afternoon Café con leche!

[koxka]

you're welcome for afternoon Café con leche!

Randi there's no way I'll eat Panellets con Café con leche, some sweet wine is in order.....some Moscatell maybe?

Well, in fact we have three days off this week-end ....so be prepared.
(just kidding)

Anna

[Randi]

Ok Koxka, I'll keep that in mind! - I love Moscatel!

Now folks, X-mas is getting closer, so here's a recipe for a

Fruitcake!

Ingredients:

*One cup water
*One cup sugar
*Four large eggs
*Two cups of dried fruit
*One teaspoon baking soda
*One teaspoon salt
*One cup brown sugar
*Lemon juice
*Nuts
*One bottle whisky

Sample the whisky to check for quality. Take a large bowl. Check the whisky again. To be sure it is the highest quality, pour one level cup and drink.

Repeat.

Turn on the electric mixer, beat one cup of butter in a large fluffy bowl. Add one teaspoon of sugar and beat again.

Make sure the whisky is still okay. Cry another tup. Turn off the mixer.

Break two leggs and add to the bowl and chuck in the cup of dried fruit.

Mix on the turner. If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers pry it loose with a drewscriver.

Sample the whisky to check for tonsisticity. Next, sift two cups of salt. Or something. Who cares? Check the whisky.

Now sift the lemon juice and strain your nuts. Add one table. Spoon. Of sugar or something. Whatever you can find.

Grease the oven. Turn the cake tin to 350 degrees. Don't forget to beat off the turner.

Throw the bowl out of the window, check the whisky again, and crawl to bed.

..... and, mind the slippery floor!